A Second Chance at Love
by SonicGenesis89
Summary: After Sonic tells Amy he does not love her, they soon begin to drift apart before losing contact completely. Several years later Sonic rescues a mysterious old man who claims Sonic is missing something important in his life. The next morning Sonic finds himself in an alternate reality where Amy is his wife and he quickly becomes torn between which life he wants to live.
1. A Shattered Dream

_**In spirit of the holidays I've decided to make a Christmas themed story. This story was inspired from the movie "The Family Man". I apologize for the lack of updates on all of my stories. I haven't been able to really write since the end of summer because of school. Now that I am on break, I will have more free time to write. I plan to try and finish this story first and update my other stories with new chapters. :)**_

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_**Summary**_

_After Sonic tells Amy he does not love her, they soon begin to drift apart before losing contact completely. Several years later Sonic rescues a mysterious old man who claims Sonic is missing something important in his life. The next morning Sonic finds himself in an alternate reality where Amy is his wife and he quickly becomes torn between which life he wants to live._

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**Chapter One – A Shattered Dream**

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It was a cold winter's night as snowflakes slowly fell from the sky, illuminated by the bright moon and the twinkling stars. The light from the moon made the snow shine through the darkness with a bluish hue and the landscape of the Mystic Ruins was covered with thick sheets of snow turning it into a beautiful winter wonderland. Lights could be seen and soft music could be heard coming from a small home atop a hill that overlooked the sea. Inside Tails' workshop, Christmas carols could be heard playing from the stereo amongst light laughter and conversation from the Sonic Team who were happily celebrating inside. Every Christmas Eve the entire gang would get together and celebrate the holidays as one great big family. However, there were two hedgehogs that were currently missing the joyous events taking place inside and instead were standing outside shivering in an awkward silence.

Amy Rose shifted her weight uncomfortably as she rubbed her mitted hands together for warmth. She had asked Sonic to accompany her outside for a moment so she could speak to him alone but found herself quickly beginning to lose her resolve. She was unable to look him in the eyes and averted her gaze elsewhere feeling her heart rapidly beating against her chest. She was afraid to start their conversation. Terrified of what his answer would be to her question.

"So, what did you want to talk about Amy?" Sonic asked her feeling puzzled. He started to rub his bare arms in an attempt to keep himself warm.

Amy looked up at him and hesitated. "…There's something I want to ask you…but before I do, I just want to say something." She told him with a soft voice.

He nodded in understanding. "Alright."

Amy let out a sigh. "Sonic, ever since we first met back on Little Planet as kids I started to have feelings for you. In the beginning it was just a simple, harmless crush but as I grew older my feelings for you only grew stronger. I know now that what I feel for you is more than just a crush and I can't just make this feeling go away…" She paused for a moment to look into his emerald eyes. By now Sonic was more than uncomfortable with this conversation and where it was headed. He nervously rubbed the back of his head while scuffing his red shoes into the white snow.

"I…I know you always thought of me as a nuisance…and sometimes I used to wonder if we were even friends at all…" She said sadly, looking down at the ground.

Sonic looked at her in surprise. "Of course you're my friend. You know that I care about you just as much as all our other friends."

"Perhaps now…but not when we were younger." She stated. "You used to run away at the very sight of me and the only times we spent any real time together was when I was either in trouble or chasing after you."

Sonic couldn't help but feel a little bad. Before he could apologize to her she continued. "I know things are different between us now though." She said with a small smile.

Her smile began to falter. "Ever since I was eight years old I've been dreaming of the day you would tell me you love me. Sonic…I need to know how you feel. I can't keep chasing you anymore. I want to know…if there will ever be a chance between us or if I should give up on you…" Tears began to brim her jade eyes against her will. "Please…Please tell me you love me!" She cried.

Sonic stood before her feeling cornered, uncomfortable, and awkward. If there was ever a time where he really wanted to run away this was definitely the time. He hated to see her cry and he certainly hated hurting her feelings. But he realized that he had been leading her on for years and she had the right to know how he truly felt.

He sighed, knowing that what he was about to say was going to shatter all her hopes and dreams. "Amy…" He began in a soft tone. "You're a great friend and all…but…I just don't feel that way…" As he said this he could see more tears threatening her eyes and all of her hopes deflating like a popped balloon. "I don't want to be tied down in a relationship…I want to be free. My freedom means everything to me." He explained.

Amy merely nodded as she fought her hardest to keep herself composed. She felt the dam beginning to break as she felt her heart breaking and soon enough she began sobbing. She hid her face in her hands and continued to cry while Sonic stood in front of her unsure how to console her. "Amy, please don't cry…" He said in a soft voice. He reached his hand out to her but she quickly backed away from him.

"…I'm such a fool…" She whispered. "I think deep down…I-I always knew this was how you felt…I just never wanted to believe it…" She wiped her eyes furiously as she continued to slowly distance herself from him. "I think I should go…T-Thank Tails for the lovely party…" She cried as she turned around and began running in the direction towards the train station.

"Amy! Wait!" Sonic called after her but she had already disappeared into the snowy darkness. His own eyes moistened against his will as he looked down at the ground. He didn't feel he should chase after her. It was his fault she was so upset. He felt horrible. He never wanted to hurt her but what about his own feelings? Didn't they mean anything at all? He cared about her a lot as a friend…but that was all. He couldn't help that. He didn't want to be chained down into a relationship. The very thought of losing his freedom terrified him. If they were together, Amy would never allow him to be himself or do the things he loved. She wouldn't understand how he felt or respect his feelings. But as he stood there in the snow staring off into the direction she had disappeared in he couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right decision. He felt a pang in his chest and he could only hope they could still remain good friends after tonight.


	2. A Strange Encounter

_**This was probably the fastest update I've ever done. This story is coming to me easier than my other stories that usually take a lot of thought and planning to put into. Usually I'm a slow writer and it takes me forever to finish a chapter but this story is coming along quickly. :) I can't help but feel my writing is a little rusty and not as good as it was during the summer but I think once I keep writing, I'll quickly get back to the level I was at before. I already started chapter three and am halfway done. Enjoy! :)**_

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**Chapter Two – A Strange Encounter**

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_Seven years later_

The streets of Station Square were bustling with life as last minute Christmas shoppers were racing from store to store to buy Christmas gifts for loved ones and friends. The street lamps and city lights lit up the town like a Christmas tree as snow flurries began to descend from the sky. Twenty five year old Sonic the Hedgehog was racing down the slick, icy streets towards the train station to make his way to the Mystic Ruins. He happened to be one of those last minute Christmas shoppers and was now heading back to Tails' Workshop for their annual Christmas party. He sighed contentedly as he took a seat on the train, relieved to finally sit down and watched the snow falling through the window. His mind started to wander onto different things during the train ride and he randomly found himself thinking of Amy. A small frown tugged at his lips along with a sad sigh. No matter how many years have passed, every Christmas Eve he found himself remembering their fateful conversation outside Tails' Workshop. Nothing was the same after that night. She slowly began to distance herself from him and it wasn't long before the two of them felt like complete strangers around one another. Now he wasn't sure what she was up to. He hadn't seen or heard from her in five years. He knew she still spoke to Tails and Cream on occasion and that she no longer lived in Station Square. If he had known their friendship was going to end as a result of that night he would have done things differently. He would have tried harder to mend their friendship or maybe expressed how he felt to her better. He was never good at these kinds of things, especially back then.

He shook his head as if to shake the thoughts away and looked at his bag of gifts. He smiled fondly at the gift he had bought for Tails knowing he was going to love it. A lot of things have changed over the years and it seems Sonic was the only person who hadn't undergone any extreme changes. His life was the same as it was seven years ago. He was free to go anywhere he pleased and do anything he set his mind and heart to whenever he wanted to. He couldn't say the same for his friends. Tails and Cream were now dating and surprisingly Knuckles and Rouge had gotten married. Even Vanilla had begun dating Vector the Crocodile. The only other person who seemed to stay the same besides him was Shadow. The train came to a stop as it arrived at the Mystic Ruins and Sonic grabbed his bag of gifts and headed off the train. He was happy to be able to spend some time with his friends tonight. He didn't get to see them as often as he had used to. He began to run after getting off the train towards Tails' Workshop. The cool winter air felt refreshing as it brushed against his face and quills and he felt invigorated as he inhaled the cold air.

"Help!" an unknown voice suddenly cried.

Sonic skidded to a halt and his ears perked up as he heard the person's desperate voice.

"Someone, Please help me!" The voice cried again.

"Hey! Where are you?" Sonic yelled as he stopped what he was doing and went to follow the strange voice.

"Over here young man!" The voice called again.

Sonic walked around a group of thick trees to find an old man lying helplessly on the ground.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he rushed over to the man's side.

"This old body isn't what it used to be." The elderly man said as he sat himself up. "I was heading towards the train station when I slipped and fell on some ice. I seemed to have pulled my back out…" He whimpered helplessly.

"Don't worry! I'll help you!" Sonic told him confidently as he knelt beside him.

"Oh thank you!" The old man exclaimed gratefully.

Sonic had the old man put his arm around his shoulder as he carefully stood up. "Hold on to me okay?" He told him as he began walking slowly towards the train station. "You wanted to take the train right?" The elderly man nodded with a smile.

As they reached the station the old man thanked Sonic for his kindness. "You are quite the lifesaver son! Thank you!"

Sonic smiled genuinely. "No problem! I'm more than happy to help!"

"Is there any way I can repay you? Surely there is something I can do for you." The elderly man said with a broad smile and a gleam in his eye.

Sonic waved his hands dismissively. "No thanks. I have everything I need." He told him honestly.

"Are you sure? There isn't something missing in your life that you would want?" The old man asked him, looking at him as though he knew something Sonic did not.

Sonic looked at him strangely. That was an odd question. "What do you mean?" He asked, his smile beginning to fade from his face being replaced with a look of pure confusion.

The man seemed to be studying him before finally replying. "Oh, don't worry about it son. I already know what you are missing in your life. It seems like I'll be able to return the favor after all!" He said with an excited smile.

Now Sonic was even more confused. "What are you talking about?" He asked.

"You'll see soon enough." The elderly man said mischievously.

Before Sonic could say another word he found himself standing alone. The old man had seemingly disappeared. He blinked in confusion and looked around. When he found no trace of the man he looked at the train to see if the old man had boarded but found no trace of him. The old man's strange words continued to replay in his head. "What did he mean by that?" Sonic asked himself aloud.

Sonic scratched his head feeling greatly confused. Everything seemed fairly normal at first until the mysterious man thanked him for his help. Sonic glanced up at the clock that hung on the train station wall and his eyes widened. He was an hour late to the Christmas party. Everyone must be wondering where he was. Forgetting about his strange encounter, Sonic quickly dashed away from the train station and headed in the direction of Tails' Workshop. He found his bag of gifts which were almost buried in the snow and made his way up the steps of the hill. As he stepped inside the warm, cozy home all of his friends looked up at him with excited smiles.

"Sonic, there you are!" Tails exclaimed happily as he ran up to his big brother.

"Where have you been? You missed the gift exchange!" Knuckles told him, gesturing to all the opened presents.

"Sorry guys, I got a little side tracked while on my way here." Sonic told them as he ruffled up Tails' bangs. Tails pulled away feeling slightly embarrassed which caused Sonic to laugh. Despite his little brother not being so little anymore he couldn't help his old habits of treating Tails as though he were still an eight year old kid.

Tails smiled. "That's okay Sonic. We were just about to start the Karaoke competition!" He said, gesturing to the make believe stage and microphone.

"You guys can also open my gifts now too if ya want." Sonic suggested as he began removing his presents from the bag and handing them to his friends.

"Oh, that's too bad Amy." Cream said as she entered the room from the kitchen. At the sound of Amy's name Sonic's ears perked up and he looked up from his bag of gifts to see Cream talking on the phone. "Uh huh…No, it's okay! Yup, I'll talk to you tomorrow then! Merry Christmas Amy!" Cream said into the phone with a smile. She ended the call and went back into the kitchen to put the phone back on the receiver.

"Wow! Thanks Sonic! How did you know I wanted one of these?" Tails' voice suddenly filled Sonic's ears pulling his attention back to what he had been doing. He saw Tails holding the gift he had gotten him and smiled. "Because I know you better than anyone." He replied with a broad smile.

Cream reentered the room and ran up to Tails planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Alright, I'm ready for some Karaoke!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Was that Amy you were talking to on the phone?" Sonic suddenly asked, a sad smile forming on his face. Everyone grew quiet as their attention fell on the cobalt hedgehog. They all knew what had happened between the two of them and their withered friendship. Whenever Amy was mentioned around Sonic he never seemed like himself. Cream laughed nervously as she tried to find the right thing to say. "Um…yeah…it was. She just called to tell me she had a change in plans and wasn't going to make it tonight."

"Oh…" Sonic said sounding disappointed.

"So…let's get this Karaoke competition started!" Knuckles said, trying to quickly change the subject and lighten the mood.

"Yeah!" Everyone agreed while heading towards the stage.

"You okay blue?" Rouge suddenly asked, noticing Sonic staring off into space.

"Huh? Yeah…Yeah, I'm fine." Sonic said giving her a thumb's up and a reassuring smile.

The rest of the evening went on normally. They had the Karaoke competition which Knuckles surprisingly won, played games, had Christmas dinner, read Christmas stories, and shared gifts. It was the same every year. The only difference was that now it lacked one person: Amy. Sonic laid in bed staring at the ceiling in deep thought. It had been five years since she last attended Tails' Christmas parties and it had been five years since he had last seen or spoken to her. He couldn't believe she was actually planning on coming this year. Why hadn't anyone told him? He closed his eyes as the desire to sleep began to overtake him. He wished that he could see her. He wanted to fix their friendship and apologize for hurting her feelings all those years ago. He always felt guilty about the way things had turned out. As he began to drift off to sleep the strange words the old man had said filled his mind.

"_There isn't something missing in your life that you would want? I already know what you are missing. It seems like I'll be able to return the favor after all!"_


	3. A Glimpse into another Life

_**Yay! Another quick update! :) I just want to say thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews this story has received already. I always really enjoy reading reviews and seeing everyone's opinions on each chapter.**_

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**Chapter Three – A Glimpse into another Life**

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The bright morning light filled the bedroom causing Sonic to shift from his current position, turning over so his back faced the window. He let out a tired groan having no desire to wake up just yet. He couldn't help but notice the extra weight he felt on his chest and it became even more noticeable when he felt movement. Arms suddenly wrapped around him tightly and he could feel someone nuzzling their face into the crook of his neck. His emerald eyes shot open to see Amy lying beside him, snuggling into his chest. His eyes widened in shock and he began to look around in a panic. He found himself in an unfamiliar bedroom he had never seen before. _"What's going on?" _He asked himself as he desperately tried to find an answer. The last thing he remembered last night was going to bed after the Christmas party. None of this made any sense. How did he get here and more importantly how did he get here with _Amy_. He hasn't even seen her in years. Before he could ponder on his bizarre predicament further Amy shifted her movement and proceeded to hug him tighter in her sleep as though he were a stuffed animal.

"…Sonic…" She mumbled in her slumber with a peaceful smile on her face. Sonic couldn't help but slightly blush from the way she said his name. Before he could think of what to do, the bedroom door swung open startling him and a little hedgehog that could pass as his identical twin jumped onto the bed excitedly.

"It's Christmas!" The little hedgehog exclaimed happily. "Mommy! Daddy! Wake up!"

Sonic's eyes widened to the size of saucers. _"Daddy…?" _He stared at the miniature cobalt version of himself jumping up and down nervously. Amy was aroused from her slumber and let out a soft groan. She pulled the blankets closer to herself in a futile attempt at going back to sleep.

"Come on Mama! Get up! Christmas is here!" The small boy exclaimed as he attempted to pull the blankets back down. Amy let out a small giggle, finally giving up. "Okay! Okay! Mommy's up now…" She said groggily.

"Yes!" The little boy cheered victoriously.

He jumped off the bed and quickly ran back to the Christmas tree downstairs in the living room. Sonic was now convinced he was in some horrifying nightmare. There was no way this could be real. "Come on dad! Get up!" The little hedgehog called out from the living room. Amy crawled out of bed sleepily and looked over at Sonic with a big smile. "I think Dash found your present!" She said playfully. The sudden sound of a baby crying began to fill both their ears. "Looks like Rosie's up now. Go meet Dash in the living room. We'll be right down." She smiled and blew Sonic a kiss before disappearing down the hall. Sonic sat in the foreign bed feeling completely freaked out. This just had to be a dream. There was no way it could be real.

"Dad!" He heard the little hedgehog whine from downstairs.

This was too much for him to handle. In a burst of speed he jumped out of bed and ran downstairs and right out the front door. He found himself standing in a small suburban neighborhood he had never seen before. Where exactly was he? He felt himself beginning to hyperventilate and continued his fearful running right out of the neighborhood.

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The first place Sonic decided to go to was back home at Tails' Workshop. Surely this was all just some big prank his friends were all playing on him. There was no way this could be possible. He grabbed the door knob only to find the door was locked.

"Hey! Tails! Open up!" Sonic yelled frantically as he continuously banged on the front door.

After a few moments the door swung opened to reveal a surprised looking Tails in pajamas staring at him oddly. "Sonic, what are you doing here?" He asked as he stepped aside to let the cobalt hedgehog in.

"Tails, ya gotta help me buddy! Something really strange is going on here…" Sonic exclaimed.

Tails looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

Sonic took in a deep breath to compose himself. "Last night after the Christmas party…I went to bed and everything was normal…but when I woke up this morning I was somewhere else…and there was Amy…and a bunch of kids…and…" Sonic was cut off by the sounds of Tails laughing.

Sonic stared at him in mild confusion. "What's so funny? This is serious! I don't know what's going on!"

"Very funny Sonic. Did Amy put you up to this?" Tails continued through small chuckles.

"No! You know I haven't seen or spoken to her in years! Is this some kind of joke you guys are all playing on me? Cause if it is…it isn't funny!" Sonic said starting to get a little angry.

"Calm down Sonic! I don't know what's gotten into you…" Tails said beginning to feel concerned.

"Calm down? I have no idea what's going on! How am I supposed to calm down?" Sonic yelled as he began to pace back and forth.

Sonic stopped momentarily and his expression and voice softened. "Please Tails…quit playing around with me and tell me what's going on." He pleaded.

Tails looked at his best friend and big brother with a worried expression. "Sonic…I don't really know what's going on with you…Did you and Amy have a fight or something? I don't really know what you want me to say…" He told him honestly.

Sonic looked at Tails in disbelief. He couldn't believe what was happening right now. His friends must have all gone crazy overnight. But as Sonic looked into Tails' cerulean eyes he could see his little brother was being honest with him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you Tails…I'm just really confused right now…" Sonic admitted.

"It's alright Sonic…" Tails said with a small smile. "Say, how about I make you something to eat? We still have some time before we go back to your house." Tails suggested.

"My house?" Sonic asked in confusion.

Tails nodded while looking at Sonic strangely. "Um…yeah…" He said simply.

"But I live here with you." Sonic stated.

Now Tails was really worried. "Sonic…you haven't lived here in years. Are you sure you're okay? Do you want to go to the hospital or something…Maybe you hit your head this morning or-"

Sonic cut him off mid-sentence. "No, I'm fine Tails…I…uh…I think I'm gonna go for a run and think for a while." He said.

Before Tails could respond he ran at lightning speed away from the workshop and deep into the Mystic Ruins. After a couple of minutes of running he stopped and took a seat on a rock to try and collect his thoughts. He put his head in his hands and let out a frustrated groan. He was truly confused at this point. He had thought all of his friends had gone insane but Tails was the one looking at him as though he were the one who was out of his mind. Was he missing something? _"I think I'd remember if I had gotten into a relationship with Amy and had kids."_ He thought to himself bitterly.

"Merry Christmas young man!" A sudden voice said.

Sonic was startled out of his thoughts and fell backwards off the rock onto the soft snow. He looked up with wide eyes to see the same elderly man he had helped the night before. He was standing before him waving with one hand while playing with his short white beard with the other.

"I see you had quite the interesting morning already." He said playfully.

"It's you!" Sonic exclaimed while scrambling to get back onto his feet.

The elder male laughed light heartedly. "I know you are probably very confused right now so let me explain. I have decided to help you and return the favor for the kindness you have shown me."

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked while walking over to him.

"Well, Mr. Hero, you claimed there wasn't anything that you needed, that there was nothing missing from your life but I could clearly see otherwise. I'm going to help you realize what you are missing."

"But I'm not missing anything in my life." Sonic argued. "And that doesn't explain why I woke up in some strange house with a friend I haven't seen in years and…kids…" He said, hesitating on the last part.

"This is a glimpse." The old man stated simply.

"A glimpse? A glimpse into what?" Sonic asked feeling even more confused.

"That's for you to find out on your own. Until then, you're stuck here." He said with a mischievous grin.

Sonic's eyes grew wide. "You mean, I'm gonna stay here like this?"

The older male nodded keeping his smile. He put his hand into his pocket and took out a small golden bell with a red bow on it. He tossed it to Sonic who caught it with ease and began staring at it curiously. "Whenever you need to speak with me, just ring that bell." The old man told him.

"How will I know when-" Sonic began to ask but noticed the old man had vanished yet again. He looked around quickly hoping the man would reappear but to no avail. He glanced back down at the small bell in his hand and began to ring it. He waited for a couple of minutes but still the mysterious old man had failed to return. Sonic let out a disappointed sigh and began to slowly walk back towards the train station deep in thought. He found himself left with more questions than answers and he was just as troubled as he was earlier.

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It was early noon when Sonic stepped off the train in Station Square. He quickly realized he had no idea where his supposed home was having forgotten where he had run from and was now lost. He remembered it was a short run from the train station and it was a small, quiet neighborhood outside the city. He quickly began running and making his way out of Station Square and soon the city skyscrapers began to disappear and turned into small homes and trees. Sonic slowed to a jog when things started to become faintly familiar to him.

"Morning Sonic! Merry Christmas!" A neighbor said with a cheery smile.

Sonic jumped in surprise at first before looking to see an unfamiliar neighbor taking out the trash. He waved back awkwardly, unsure of what to really say. "Uh, same to you!" He replied simply.

"Sonic! There you are!" A familiar voice called. Sonic looked up and to his relief it was Knuckles.

Knuckles rushed on over to him and placed an arm around his shoulder. "Hey man, are you alright? Where have you been? Amy's worried sick!"

Sonic wasn't sure exactly what to say. "I, uh, I needed to get some air for a while."

"I think I know what happened. You woke up this morning thinking to yourself, how did I get here, right?" Sonic looked at him in mild surprise.

"Y-Yeah…" He admitted. Did Knuckles know what had happened to him?

"It's alright Sonic. Everyone goes through a mid-life crisis sometime in their lives." Apparently he didn't.

"Even I went through this a month ago when I first found out Rouge was pregnant."

Sonic's eyes grew wide. "Whoa, Rouge is pregnant?"

"Not so loud idiot! Rouge and I wanted to make it a surprise, remember?" Sonic merely nodded in agreement.

"What I'm trying to say is you just gotta remember all the good things in your life. Don't worry Sonic, you'll be fine." Knuckles said as he began leading his hedgehog companion back towards his home.

They entered the house through the kitchen side door and Sonic began to feel butterflies dancing in his stomach. He looked around his foreign home anxiously, unsure if he was ready to face Amy just yet.

"Come on Sonic, this isn't like you." Knuckles said, noticing the hedgehog's discomfort.

He led the nervous hedgehog into the living room where Sonic saw a Christmas tree amongst toys and ripped apart wrapping paper that littered the floor. He took in a deep breath as he tried to prepare himself for the unknown. He could faintly hear all of his friends conversing in another room. That must explain why Knuckles was at his house seemingly waiting for him and why Tails had mentioned coming over earlier.

"Amy! He's home! I found him!" Knuckles announced, alerting all of their friends.

Amy came running into the room with tears in her eyes. "Sonic! Where have you been? I was so worried!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around him.

Sonic froze the moment he felt her body pressed against his own. He had no idea what he should do or say. He was still trying to accept the fact that in this world she was his wife and they had a family together. To him, this was his first time seeing her in five years and he couldn't deny the fact that he was happy to see her again. He really did miss her and that thought alone scared him a little.

"I'm sorry Amy." He said apologetically. It felt good to finally tell her he was sorry even though in this world he never broke her heart.

She hugged him tighter. "You left so suddenly…I thought something happened. I checked the news to see if Eggman had attacked but there wasn't anything and then Tails called me and told me you came over and were acting kind of strange."

She pulled away wiping the tears out of her eyes and looked up at him. "Are you okay?"

Sonic wasn't exactly sure what to say. "Yeah, I'm fine…I was just…a little confused…"

"About what?" She asked, still wiping tears away from her jade eyes.

"It doesn't matter. I'm alright now." He tried to reassure her.

"You missed it." Amy said with a sad smile, gesturing towards the Christmas tree.

"Huh?" Sonic looked at her in confusion.

"You missed Dash and Rosy opening up their gifts. You never got to see the look on Dash's face when he saw the bike you got him." She told him.

"Oh." Sonic said plainly.

Amy pulled Sonic into another strong embrace and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "I'm just so happy you're home and safe. That's all that matters now." Amy said with a small smile.

Sonic felt his cheeks flush and had to resist the urge to pry Amy away from him in a similar fashion to when they were kids. He was beginning to feel his very freedom being sucked right out of him. But what was terrifying him the most at that moment was the fact that he liked her innocent kiss a little more than he should have.


	4. A Strange Feeling

_**I have been in such a writing mood! I'm on a roll right now! I haven't written anything this fast or updated this fast before and I have to say it really does feel great! :) I'm starting to get back into the flow of writing. I was feeling really rusty when I started this story and I feel like I'm starting to get back to the level I was at before. This is what happens to me when I don't write for months at a time. I may actually rewrite chapter one and two in the future after finishing the story because I feel they could have been better. I just want to say thank you again for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. It really means a lot to me. Reviews help encourage me to continue. I love reading people's reactions! I'm having a lot of fun writing this story so the next update should be real soon. Until then Happy Holidays everyone! :)**_

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**Chapter Four – A Strange Feeling**

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Sonic couldn't help but notice that all of his friends seemed a lot happier in this alternate universe and that things were a little different even with them. The annual Christmas parties that once took place every year at Tails' Workshop were now held at Sonic's home. Now he understood what Tails had meant when he mentioned coming over and why all of his friends happened to all be there when he arrived. He was currently trying to survive the aforementioned Christmas party. He took the party as an opportunity to try and learn more about his alternate lifestyle and even learn his way around the house. He didn't fail to notice the strange stares his friends had all given him at times where he seemed a little off. Luckily for him, he didn't have Amy hanging all over him. Most of her attention had been focused on cooking Christmas dinner and tending to the baby pink hedgehog quietly playing in her play pen. Sonic took a moment for the first time to really look at his supposed daughter. He leaned into the play pen to see her busily stacking blocks on top of each other. She actually looked an awful lot like him, sharing the same head of quills and emerald green eyes. But she had her mother's button nose, soft facial features, wide eyes, and rose pink fur. He inwardly laughed at how perfect her name was for her.

"Sonic! Would you go out back and tell Dash to come inside! It's time to eat!" He heard Amy call from the kitchen.

"Um, alright." He said a little awkwardly.

Sonic was still trying to digest all of this. Everything seemed so bizarre to him. As he made his way towards the sliding back door he couldn't help but feel a little nervous about meeting his son. He wasn't exactly sure why. Perhaps it was because unlike his daughter, Dash was older, could talk, and would probably want to interact with Sonic in some way in which he had no idea how. Sure, Sonic was great with kids, having spent the majority of his young life raising Tails as his adoptive little brother but that didn't seem to help his lack of confidence when it came to this situation. He slowly opened the door and stepped out into the cold backyard to see his son trying to build a snowman. Sonic was still in awe over how much the small hedgehog looked exactly like him. It was like looking into a mirror image of himself as a child.

"Hey, uh, Dash, it's time to come inside now!" Sonic called a little uncomfortably.

The little cobalt hedgehog turned his attention towards him and smiled excitedly. "Daddy!" He called as he immediately stopped what he was doing.

Before Sonic could even blink the little boy had quickly run up to him and tackled him to the ground in a strong hug. Sonic couldn't help but notice how similar this kid's bone crushing hugs were to his mother's. Dash sat up laughing happily as he looked down at his father lying seemingly helpless in the snow. "Let's build a snowman together!" He exclaimed, his little hand tugging on Sonic's. Sonic wordlessly allowed the child to lead him across the backyard to where he had been previously playing. The half made snowman Dash had been working on was leaning slightly over and was still lacking its head. Sonic couldn't help but smile as he watched the little boy grab pieces of snow and pack it into the snowman's body.

Feeling a little more relaxed and less uncomfortable, Sonic began to play along by rolling up snow to start making the snowman's head. They did this for a couple of minutes until Sonic had made a large enough snowball and was ready to place it on the snowman's body. Everything seemed so perfect at first until Sonic had attempted to place the head on its body. Then, within seconds, Sonic watched helplessly as everything fell apart. The extra weight added to the crooked snowman was too much for it to remain stabilized and it fell down sideways, crashing into the snow in pieces. Sonic let out a small gasp as he turned his attention back on Dash who was staring at the fallen snowman with a deep frown. His lower lip quivered and Sonic could see the tears beginning to brim his jade colored eyes.

"Please don't cry! We can build another one!" Sonic said quickly, trying to cheer up the despondent hedgehog.

But his words seemed to have no effect on the five year old boy who stared sadly at the fallen remains of their snowman. Dash was unable to hold back his unshed tears and began to cry. Sonic found himself freaking out unsure of what to do to make him feel better. What was he supposed to do?

"We can do something else! We can uh, race each other, or maybe have a snowball fight!" Sonic suggested, desperate to get the kid to stop crying.

At the sound of those suggestions Dash's cries were suddenly reduced to that of soft whimpers and he quickly wiped his eyes. He looked back up at his father and smiled. "Okay!" He said, turning back into his cheerful self. Sonic let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

Without another word, Dash ran away from his father in a burst of speed. Sonic smiled cockily as he ran after his son, happy to see he had inherited his speed. The little hedgehog quickly hid behind a tree, giggling excitedly. Sonic stopped running and pretended he didn't know where Dash had gone. "Wow, little guy! You sure are fast…Where did you go?" Sonic teased.

He felt a snowball suddenly hit the back of his head and he turned to see Dash laughing and running away from him. "You better run!" Sonic said playfully, a confident grin tugging at his lips. He quickly gathered up some snow and turned it into a snowball and began chasing after the little hedgehog. He gently threw it at Dash, successfully hitting him in the back and Dash turned around to toss another snowball at Sonic, successfully hitting him in the face. Sonic found himself falling backwards into the snow laughing and Dash ran back over to him and tackled him, beginning to tickle his sides.

The two cobalt hedgehogs were so involved in their tickle fight that they had failed to notice the back sliding door open. "Sonic, what's taking so-" Amy began to say but stopped when she noticed the sweet father son moment. She smiled tenderly as she watched the two of them. She loved watching Sonic play with the kids. He was such a good father. She was actually feeling relieved to see Sonic acting a little more like himself again. He had been acting rather odd all day today but kept assuring her that he was fine. She felt bad that she had to interrupt them but dinner was on the table.

"Dash, sweetheart, it's time to come inside!" She called.

Dash tore his attention away from his father and looked up at his mother. "Aw, but mama…we're having fun!" He whined.

"No buts! It's time to eat!" She told him, beckoning him to come inside. "You can play with your father after dinner." She reassured him.

After hearing that, the little hedgehog stood up out of the snow and ran to his mother's side. "Okay." He said, giving her a hug.

Sonic sat in the snow staring at Amy in wonder. He was actually a little impressed with how good she was with the kids and how well behaved Dash was. His polite and sweet nature reminded him a lot of how Cream used to be when she was little.

Amy scooped the little hedgehog up into her arms and rubbed her nose against his. "Let's get you all cleaned up first!" She said with a smile.

Her attention then fell on Sonic. "Come inside honey before you catch a cold!"

Sonic felt the heat rise in his cheeks. He was going to have a hard time getting used to this. Every instinct in his body told him to run and get out of there. He took one last glance at Dash before Amy carried him inside and smiled. He actually had fun for the first time in what felt like ages. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Sonic stood in the middle of his bedroom apprehensively. He never imagined he could ever feel so uncomfortable about going to sleep before. He was relieved to have the Christmas party be over and for the fact that Amy was the one putting the kids to bed. She must have noticed how physically drained he looked. He let out a nervous sigh as he edged himself closer to the inviting bed. He was exhausted and the urge to sleep was growing steadily stronger within him but he was afraid to sit down on the bed so much as lay on it. He was terrified because he had to share the bed alone with Amy. Just thinking about it made his stomach churn in unease. After much hesitation he managed to calm himself down slightly and sit on the edge of the bed. He took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. As if on cue the bedroom door opened revealing the very pink hedgehog he was afraid to be alone with. She came into the bedroom with a smile on her face and looked over at Sonic. "The kids are asleep." She told him. He nodded in understanding, hoping she would allow him to fall asleep too.

She walked over to the dresser and pulled out a lavender colored night gown and neatly placed it on the bed. Sonic watched her every move nervously. He felt his leg's twitch with the desire to run as far away from there as possible and his hands tightly gripped the edge of the bed almost painfully. When he looked back up at Amy, he nearly fell off the bed. She had begun changing right there in front of him and was only in her bra and underwear. "A-Amy! W-What are you doing?" He stammered in a panic. His cheeks flushed a light red and he turned away from her bashfully.

Amy looked at him in confusion. "Hmm? What's wrong?" She asked.

She noticed him turn away from her shyly, refusing to look back up at her. "Y-You're taking off your clothes!" He said almost childishly.

She blinked. "So…? It's nothing you haven't already seen before." She told him playfully.

At that remark, Sonic's eyes widened slightly and his cheeks burned even more.

"You know…" Amy continued with a mischievous grin. She walked up to him and lightly pushed him down onto the bed. "Usually, I can't get your hands off me."

By now Sonic's cheeks were as red as Knuckles. He stared at her completely paralyzed feeling his heart hammering so hard into his chest he thought it would burst. This was the exact reason why he was afraid to be alone with Amy. "In fact…weren't you the one who said we should have another baby?" She teased, climbing on top of him.

Sonic gulped nervously. He had never felt so terrified in his entire life. He watched helplessly as her face came closer to his own and she giggled sweetly as she rubbed her nose against his. Their lips brushed up against one another's softly before Amy slowly deepened the kiss. Sonic's eyes grew as wide as saucers as he lay trapped beneath Amy's petite form. His heart pounded painfully in his chest and he felt an unfamiliar warmth beginning to fill his entire core. What was this feeling? She pulled away slowly to look into his emerald eyes and a small hint of disappointment filled Sonic's heart. He stared at her intensely, as though her kiss had awakened something hidden deep within him.

"You're so beautiful…" He breathed.

Now it was Amy's turn to blush. Since Sonic had awoken in this strange alternate world he never once took the time to really look at Amy. Now that he was, he couldn't help but notice the beautiful woman she had become. She was no longer that little girl who used to chase him around everywhere he went. He continued to study her face and eyes, getting lost in every detail.

"How are you doing that?" She asked in almost a whisper.

"Doing what?" He said in a soft voice, still in a daze.

"Look at me as though you haven't seen me in years."

She looked deep into his eyes, as if trying to find some hidden secret he kept from her. Sonic began to fall out of his stupor. He wasn't sure how to answer that question. To him, he truly was looking deeply at the girl he hadn't seen in years. Before he could respond she got up from the bed with an excited smile on her face.

"I'll be right back." She said giddily as she ran to the bathroom.

Sonic looked at her retreating figure questioningly. He slid himself up on the bed and made himself comfortable amongst the warm woolen blankets. Meanwhile, Amy was attempting to make herself look even more desirable. She actually felt faint by the intense way Sonic was looking at her. It sent a shiver down her spine and she wanted to make tonight extra special for him.

"Okay, I'm ready!" She announced excitedly as she reentered the bedroom. Her jade eyes fell on the dozing cobalt hedgehog snuggled in bed. She smiled at him sadly, feeling a little disappointed, and pulled the blankets up to keep him warm. She knew he was feeling tired. He seemed really stressed out and distracted all day. She sighed as she changed into her night gown and crawled into bed beside him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind, snuggling into his head quills.

"Goodnight Sonic, I love you." She whispered.

Sonic opened his eyes slightly as he felt her relax beside him. Her grip on him loosened and her breathing softened indicating that she had fallen asleep. He lay still, lost in thought, feeling considerably troubled. Something strange had come over him the moment Amy had kissed him. He touched his lips gingerly as he remembered the way her soft lips felt against his own. He was disturbed to say the least, disturbed because deep down…he kind of liked it. So much that he had actually wanted more. That thought terrified him. What was wrong with him? Amy was his friend. He just missed her company that's all. He got caught up in the moment of being with her again after so long. He squeezed his eyes shut. This isn't what he wanted. He wanted his old life back. Back to where he was as free as the wind itself, back to not being chained down to a relationship. He knew this glimpse wasn't the life he wanted. This glimpse was what Amy had always wanted from him. Their whole relationship in this world felt very one sided to him. Did he even have the freedom to leave as he pleased, to go on adventures, or even a short run? He doubted it. He tried to fall asleep, hoping that this was all just some crazy dream and he'll wake up tomorrow morning in his nice warm bed back at Tails' Workshop.


	5. A Desire to Be Free

_**Hello, everyone! This chapter took me longer than I thought it would. Originally, the first half of this chapter was going to be in chapter four but I felt it would be better if it was in this chapter instead. I plan to take a couple of days off from writing after this chapter. I've been putting a lot of time into this story and now I want to spend some time planning out the rest of the chapters. Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year! :)**_

* * *

**Chapter Five – A Desire to Be Free**

* * *

The sound of a baby crying aroused Sonic from his slumber. He let out a tired groan as he slowly sat up in bed and looked around the room. He yawned and stretched before climbing out of bed and noticed the crying still hadn't stopped. He cautiously stepped out of the bedroom and looked down the hall only to see no trace of Amy anywhere.

"Amy?" He called only to receive no answer.

He stepped back into the bedroom and noticed the bathroom door was opened on a crack and he could hear the sound of water running. He braced himself as he opened the door slightly and peaked inside. His face flushed and his eyes immediately fell to the floor when he caught a glimpse of Amy in the shower. She was happily singing and humming to herself, completely oblivious of Sonic's presence.

Sonic cleared his throat, still keeping his eyes on the floor. "The baby's crying." He tried to say but she couldn't hear him over the running water and her own singing.

"All I want for Christmas is you!" She sang while lathering up her quills with shampoo.

Sonic blushed and tried again. "Amy!" He said louder.

Upon hearing her husband's voice, Amy stopped her singing and turned around in confusion. She opened the shower door and looked at Sonic curiously. "Yes, Sonic?"

Sonic's face was as red as a tomato and he made sure his eyes remained glued to the tile floor. "Um, the baby is crying." He told her, rubbing the back of his head bashfully.

"Oh, Sonic." Amy laughed. "Don't think you can try and get out of this one!"

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked, perplexed.

"It's your turn to take care of Rosy and you know it!" She told him playfully, shutting the door and resuming her shower.

Sonic merely stood there for a moment unsure of what to do. He had no idea how to take care of a baby. He quietly left the bathroom and slowly made his way down the hall to the nursery. As he entered the room, his emerald eyes fell on a baby pink hedgehog crying in her crib. He approached the crib apprehensively unsure of what he was supposed to do. He never even held a baby before.

"Uh…shh! Don't cry, Rosy! I'm here now! Everything's gonna be okay!" He tried to reassure the little girl. Rosy just simply ignored her father's words of encouragement and continued to cry. Sonic rubbed the back of his head nervously. He had no idea what he was doing. He unlatched the door part of the crib lowering it so he could pick Rosy up. If he could confidently save the world and fight bad guys with ease surely he should be able to hold his daughter and stop her from crying, right? He took a deep breath before gently placing his hands under her two tiny arms and carefully lifted the little girl up. She continued her crying fit as he held her up and he found himself beginning to panic.

"Why are you crying? What do you want me to do?" He asked her, feeling overwhelmed already.

Was she hungry? Maybe she needed to be changed? He quickly glanced around the nursery until his eyes fell on a changing table. It was worth a shot, besides he didn't have any better ideas at the moment. He held the little hedgehog awkwardly, holding her away from him as though she were an explosive device, and carried her over to the changing table. He gently placed her down on a soft mat and she already started to quiet her cries as if she knew what he was going to do.

"_Now what do I do?" _He thought to himself unsurely, looking at all of the supplies on the table. He saw baby powder, diapers, wipes, and towels. He assumed the first thing to do of course was remove her diaper. No big deal, he could handle this. He unhooked the latches on both sides of the diaper and slowly pulled the front part of the diaper down.

"Holy Chaos!" He exclaimed, quickly pulling her diaper back up. He pinched his nose with one hand and recoiled. How exactly was he supposed to do this? He felt his confidence beginning to dwindle. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath. _"I can do this!" _He told himself, trying to regain his confidence.

"Morning daddy." He heard a little voice say, startling him from his thoughts. He turned to see Dash entering the room and staring up at him curiously. Now that Sonic had an audience, he felt even more uncomfortable.

"Uh, morning Dash." He replied, turning his attention back onto his daughter who was squirming around on the changing table.

Dash decided to watch his father and took a seat on a rocking horse in the middle of the room. Sonic decided the only way he would get through this was if he did it very quickly. He gently held his daughter's legs up, pulled the diaper down and slid it off away from her. He felt his stomach churn as he rolled the soiled diaper up into a ball and quickly disposed of it in the nearby waste basket. He looked at the baby supplies assorted about on the table and took a handful of wipes. After much hesitation, he wiped Rosie's bottom clean and threw the dirty wipes out.

"_What is Amy feeding this kid?" _He wondered to himself as he opened a new bag of diapers. Now this was going to be the hard part. He had no idea how to actually put the diaper on. Rosy was happily cooing at her father, feeling much better now that she was clean. Sonic was having trouble getting her diaper on because she kept kicking her little legs in every direction. She seemed very energetic and playful when she wasn't crying and her seemingly boundless energy made him wonder if she had also inherited his speed. Sonic started to cough when he accidentally added too much baby powder. He couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed knowing Dash was watching his every move. As Sonic secured the latches on the diaper he felt a sense of pride. He did it. He successfully changed her diaper and lived to tell about it.

"There, all done!" He exclaimed proudly as he gently lifted his daughter up. The diaper which had been put on backwards slid off her bottom and fell onto the changing table. Sonic's proud smile quickly fell and he turned to see Dash putting his hands over his mouth, trying to hold back his giggles.

* * *

Later that day, Sonic found himself being dragged to the local grocery store with Amy and the kids. To say he felt a tad bit miserable would be an understatement. This was exactly why he didn't want to pursue a romantic relationship with Amy. Because all he would be was tied down to do these mundane tasks such as shopping and tending to Amy's every need. He felt as though Amy had some invisible leash wrapped tightly around Sonic's neck, preventing him from his freedom. Sure, he really liked the kids and he had a lot of fun with them earlier that morning during breakfast, but this was where he drew the line.

They were currently walking through the produce isle. Rosy sat in the baby seat of the shopping cart kicking her little legs excitedly and looking around attentively with her wide emerald eyes while Dash stayed close to his mother's side holding on to the cart. Sonic was found trailing behind, arms crossed, and pouting childishly. He wanted to leave. He seemed pretty useless there anyway. Amy stopped in front of an assortment of vegetables and began looking through them. Sonic let out an exasperated sigh. He tapped his foot impatiently and the burning desire to run was making him extremely antsy. He watched as Dash ventured away from the shopping cart and began to rummage through a box of raw string beans.

"No Dash, put them back." Amy suddenly said, catching Dash trying to eat a couple.

"Aw…but mama I'm hungry!" The little hedgehog whined.

"I know, but we're almost done!" Amy tried to reassure him.

"I promise I'll get you a chocolate chip cookie from the bakery on our way out." She told him.

A big smile formed on Dash's face. "Yay!" The little hedgehog cheered. "My favorite!"

Amy began sifting through a box containing broccoli. "Sonic what do you think about…" She started to say, but as she turned to face her husband she saw him standing aloof, not paying much attention, and looking rather agitated.

"Sonic?" She asked, beginning to worry.

His ears perked up and he looked in her direction. "Huh?"

"Is everything alright?" She asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" He said, trying to hide his obvious discomfort.

"Well, you just seem a little…annoyed." She pointed out.

"Well, maybe I am." He blurted out loud without thinking.

Amy was taken aback by his tone of voice. Something was wrong. She temporarily turned her attention on to Dash. "Sweetheart, would you like to help mommy find some juicy red apples?" She asked.

He nodded. She pointed to a bin across from them filled with apples. "Stay where I can see you and don't talk to anyone, okay?" He nodded again. "Okay mommy!" He said with a smile before dashing off to gather some apples.

Amy turned her attention back onto her irritated husband. "Sonic, what's wrong?" She asked him.

Sonic was finding it incredibly difficult to keep his inner thoughts to himself. "Oh, you know, just the fact that this is what I do with my life now. I spend every day trapped with you and the kids and I never even get to so much as jog around the neighborhood let alone go out anywhere." He said bitterly.

Amy let out a gasp. She looked at Sonic feeling shocked and hurt. Where did this come from all of a sudden? "What's gotten into you?" She asked, her voice mixed with hurt and anger.

"Nothing, forget it! It's always about you and what you want anyway!" He yelled in exasperation while raising his hands into the air.

"Even when we were kids Amy, it was always about what you wanted from me! You never cared about how I felt on anything!" He continued angrily.

Amy stomped her foot and clenched her fists. "Sonic, that's not true! I always care about how you feel! What's your problem?" Amy yelled, unable to control her anger.

Sonic laughed humorlessly. "My problem is that you stole my freedom from me!"

Amy's sudden anger instantly dissolved into pure hurt. She looked at Sonic in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She felt the all too familiar pang in her chest and she fought hard to hold back the tears that were beginning to form in her jade colored eyes. She couldn't allow the children to see her cry and she didn't want to give Sonic the satisfaction either.

Sonic continued, unable to control his raging emotions, and failing to notice how much he had just hurt Amy's feelings. "Is this the only thing I do now since I married you? Stay home and take care of the kids, change diapers, and go grocery shopping? Don't I ever get to do anything else? Are my days of running and going on adventures completely over now?" He yelled incredulously.

Amy squeezed her eyes shut, unable to take any more of his selfish bickering. "Shut up, Sonic!" She suddenly yelled.

Sonic's eyes grew wide and the realization of what he had just said to her began to quickly sink in. He could see Amy shaking from her hurt and fury and he instantly regretted everything he just said. He just exploded. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings. He hadn't even realized what he was saying until it was too late. "Amy…I-" He tried to apologize but she cut him off.

"If that's the way you feel, then why did you even ask me to marry you?" She said, her voice cracking a little.

Sonic frowned, feeling guilt rise into his heart. He saw a stray tear rolling down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. "Amy, wait, let me explain…I-" But she shook her head and cut him off again.

"There's nothing to explain Sonic. If our family means so little to you, then why don't you just leave?" She told him coldly.

Now it was Sonic's turn to have his feelings hurt. He looked at Amy with a sad and pleading expression on his face. By now, Rosy began to whimper and squirm in her seat, sensing her parent's animosity. Amy quickly composed herself, willing her tears away, and began cooing her baby back to a tranquil, happy state.

"Momma, I got the apples!" Dash announced as he came running back with his arms full of red apples. He had grabbed so many that some were falling onto the floor.

Amy forced a smile. "Thank you Dash, you picked some really nice ones." She said, pulling her son into a much needed hug. She kissed the top of his head before slowly pulling away.

"Come on. It's time to go home." She told him as she resumed pushing the shopping cart.

Amy didn't bother to check whether or not Sonic was following her. Her heart ached and she wondered why she even loved that hedgehog so much. Sonic stood behind for a moment feeling terrible about what he had said and done. Why was he so mad anyway? Because Amy needed to go grocery shopping? He shook his head feeling ashamed of himself. He let his own personal concerns about being strapped down into a relationship fester into some horrible monster and attacked her when she didn't even deserve it. He had already lost Amy as a friend in his world and now he was about to lose her again in this one.

* * *

Sonic slowly opened his bedroom door. "Amy…?" He called softly.

Neither of them had said a word to one another since their fight at the grocery store. Amy tried her hardest to act normal around the kids but Sonic could see the immense hurt in her expression and eyes. She was giving him the silent treatment, not even bothering to look at him and that hurt and affected Sonic more than having her yell at him or hit him with her Piko Piko Hammer. This was his entire fault and unlike back in his world seven years ago, he was determined to fix things between them. It was late at night, Amy had already put the kids to bed and now they were completely alone.

"Amy?" Sonic tried again after receiving no answer.

He quietly entered their bedroom and could see Amy lying in bed with her back towards him. Sonic frowned and slowly approached her. "Amy…can we talk? Please?" He asked her in a sad, pleading voice. He could hear her sniffling and knew she had been crying.

"Go away Sonic! I don't want to talk to you!" She whimpered.

Sonic felt a stabbing pain in his heart but tried to ignore it. He sat down on his side of the bed quietly, refusing to take his eyes off of her. Why was it that he always hurt her? Sometimes he wondered why she even loved him at all.

"Well…how about I talk and you listen then?" He suggested in a low voice.

When he received no response from her he let out a sigh. "Amy…I'm sorry about what I said today…I didn't mean to hurt you…I was just…" He paused and looked down.

"It's very hard to explain." He stated honestly.

"Like I said before…there's nothing to explain." Amy sobbed into her pillow.

"You obviously don't want to be with me and the kids anymore." She refused to turn around and look at him and hugged the blankets tightly, desperate for warmth and comfort.

Sonic frowned and closed his eyes. "I'm just going through a hard time right now…I didn't mean anything that I said today…" He told her honestly.

A long silence fell between them before Amy spoke again. "Really…?" She asked in a soft voice.

She finally turned around to look at him and he felt his heart sink. Her beautiful face was stained with her tears and she looked so vulnerable and despondent. "Is that why you were acting kind of strange yesterday?" She asked, sniffling and wiping the tears from her eyes. He nodded.

"Sonic, please tell me what's bothering you." She pleaded.

Sonic laid down beside her and gently took her hand in his. "I guess I've just been feeling a little…trapped lately."

"Is it because of me? Did I do something wrong?" She asked in worry, her eyes starting to brim with fresh tears.

"No, it's not like that." He reassured her.

"It's just…" He paused, unsure what to really say to her.

How can he possibly explain what he was feeling? He was beginning to feel very confused and conflicted. "Well…have you ever woken up one morning and wondered…how you got there?" He asked her, trying to get her to relate to his current circumstances.

Amy squeezed his hand supportively. "Of course I have, plenty of times." She admitted.

He looked at her in mild surprise. "Really?" He asked her. She nodded.

"We've been through so much together…I still have a hard time believing this is all real sometimes." A small smile tugged at her lips. "If you were to travel back in time and tell me that we would one day get married, I wouldn't have even believed it."

A small giggle escaped her and Sonic couldn't help but slightly chuckle too. She looked deep into his emerald eyes. "I still think back to that Christmas Eve…where you confessed your love to me."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. "I was actually really afraid…I was so scared that when I asked you how you felt…you were going to tell me you didn't love me…" She looked away from him and Sonic didn't fail to notice the light blush forming on her cheeks.

"I was so surprised when you pulled me into a strong hug and told me how you felt. You have no idea how happy you made me." She told him with a new batch of fresh tears forming in her eyes. She pulled him into a warm embrace, relishing the feeling of his closeness. Sonic's cheeks flushed and he felt his heart beginning to race. He found himself slowly returning the embrace.

"After that, everything just seemed to fall into place." She stated, hugging him tighter.

"Two years later you proposed to me and we got married, moved into this house, had Dash and Rosy…and now here we are." She said softly, reminiscing the past seven years they spent together.

Sonic blushed. Everything happened so fast. They really didn't wait long did they? For the next couple of minutes neither of them spoke. They just closed their eyes and enjoyed each other's closeness. After a while, Amy opened her eyes and looked back up at her cobalt husband.

"Sonic?" She asked in almost a whisper.

He opened his eyes. "Yeah?" He said softly.

"You don't really feel like I'm taking away your freedom…do you?" She asked sadly.

Sonic frowned. "Amy…I-" He started but she cut him off before he could say anything.

"Because, I always thought you knew I supported everything you wanted to do. I always let you leave when you had to and would wait for you to return. I would wait an eternity for you if I had to." She told him passionately.

Sonic's eyes widened as she continued to ramble. "Remember when Dash was three? You were gone for months…and he really missed you. I know you're a hero, and I know you enjoy going on adventures. I thought we agreed that we were in this together…I never want to hold you back from what makes you happy Sonic, because I love you!" She exclaimed.

Sonic tried to speak again but still, she continued. "If it's because you hate going shopping with me, you don't have to come along anymore if you don't want to…But I thought you liked coming along. You used to always push the shopping carts and race them around with Dash sitting inside like it was some kind of race car." Sonic chuckled. That actually did sound like something he would do.

He quickly noticed whenever Amy was extremely nervous she had a really bad habit of rambling on like this. He recollected numerous times in the past where she had done the same exact thing and found himself smiling. He thought it was kind of cute in a way.

"Amy." He said, trying to get her to listen to him.

When she was about to continue he gently placed his finger on her lips. She froze instantly and met Sonic's intense gaze.

"Amy, everything I said earlier…I didn't mean any of it. I didn't know what I was talking about." He told her honestly.

He jumped to so many conclusions, even in the past in his own world. He always just assumed Amy would hold him down like some prisoner and not even care about his happiness at all but he was wrong. He was very wrong. He never gave her a chance and now he felt pretty terrible for judging her so quickly. His emerald eyes stared intensely into hers as overwhelming emotions began to stir within him.

"I'm sorry." He told her in a serious voice. "I'm sorry for all the times I've ever hurt you. For every time I've run away from you or let you down. I never wanted to hurt you, Amy."

Sonic had waited so many years to tell her he was sorry. Now that he finally was, he felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Amy stared at him with wide, stunned eyes. A smile formed on her pretty features and she slowly leaned in, capturing Sonic's lips in a sweet, tender kiss. Unlike last night, Sonic found himself closing his eyes and slowly kissing her back. His lips moved along with hers in perfect sync, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him, as their lips molded one another's passionately. A flame had ignited within Sonic's soul, sending a burning sensation throughout his entire body. He had never felt such an intense feeling before and he found himself wanting more. After a while they broke away from their heated kiss for some much needed air.

"I love you." Amy whispered breathlessly.

She kissed his cheek softly before lying down in his arms and snuggling into his chest. Sonic held her in his arms loosely, watching her as she closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep. His heart was still racing, beating faster than he could run. He had never felt such overwhelming emotions before. He continued to watch Amy sleeping peacefully in his arms and he gently held her closer. He was feeling so confused now. Did he still care about Amy as just a friend? He wasn't so sure anymore.


End file.
